Monday, April 09, 2007

BANGKOK, March 17 (UPI) -- Elephants have been coming out of Thailand's jungles in search of food and water because of an ongoing drought.

The Bangkok Post reported Saturday that drought, along with "ecologically destructive farming practices," have posed a major threat to natural sources of food and shelter for elephants in the wild.

Soraida Salwala, founder of the Friends of the Asian Elephant group, told the Post, "Undoubtedly, the drastic climate change is now a cause of concern because if it drags on and worsens, the well-being of hundreds of elephants will be in jeopardy."